Officials will announce
a statewide Safe Harbor conservation agreement that gives both
agencies flexibility to provide private landowners protection when
they agree to voluntarily manage their property to conserve red-cockaded
woodpecker habitat.

The Louisiana State-wide Red-cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Agreement,
created as a state and Federal partnership, will help conserve the
endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and provide assurances to enrolled
non-Federal landowners. LDWF will be able to enroll landowners who
agree to voluntarily manage for red-cockaded woodpecker groups and
their habitat.

Private landowners whose property meets the criteria for red-cockaded
woodpecker habitat development will have the flexibility to develop
long-range land-use plans and management practices.